Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, two of women's college basketball's brightest stars, are rematching in the NCAA Tournament on Monday in what should be one of the most anticipated matchups this season.

Last year, Reese and LSU defeated Clark and Iowa in the national championship game. This season — presumably the last for both players in college — will see the Tigers and Hawkeyes face off yet again, not in the national championship or Final Four, but in the Elite Eight.

REQUIRED READING: LSU vs Iowa in Elite 8: Prediction for March Madness' 2024 NCAA Tournament

Tensions can certainly rise when two players of Clark and Reese's caliber face off on the hardwood, especially in a game with championship stakes. Last season, Clark and Reese's perceived relationship got off on a sour note, as Reese taunted Clark with a hand gesture in the direction of Clark in the final moments of the game with LSU all but securing the win.

However, the two stars have been outspoken in their support of each other this season and since last year's game. Still, the matchup shouldn't be any less entertaining. With that, here's everything you need to know of Reese and Clark's meeting in last year's national championship game, plus everything that happened after:

Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese, explained

In last year's national championship game, Reese taunted Clark by waving her hand across her face in the direction of Clark, copying the Iowa star's celebratory gesture. Clark, of course, uses the "you can't see me" gesture, which was made famous by WWE legend John Cena.

The LSU star followed up with another gesture in which she pointed at her ring finger, signifying to Clark that she and the Tigers were going to win the NCAA Tournament championship game — not Clark and her Hawkeyes.

Reese made the gestures with the victory already well in hand. Indeed, LSU held Clark to 9-of-22 shooting, including 8 of 19 from beyond the 3-point arc. Even as she scored a game-high 30 points, Clark couldn't muster Iowa to a win vs. the Tigers, who won 102-85 and finished the 2022-23 season as the national champions.

REQUIRED READING: What LSU women's basketball players said about facing Iowa's Caitlin Clark in Elite 8

Angel Reese on Caitlin Clark taunt

After the game, Reese claimed Clark "disrespected" her LSU teammate Alexis Morris, adding she doesn't put up with that, which was partial fuel for the taunting. She also suggested the taunt came after the Hawkeyes beat previously undefeated South Carolina in the Final Four, preempting an all-SEC national championship meeting:

"I was waiting," Reese said after the game. "I'll tell you, I was waiting, I was waiting. Man, hey, Caitlin Clark is an incredible player for sure. But I don't take disrespect lightly. She disrespected Alexis (Moore) and my girls, South Carolina, they're still my SEC girls too, and y'all not gonna disrespect them either."

Reese also called Clark a "hell of a player" in the same interview.

Caitlin Clark defends Angel Reese

Two days later, Clark appeared on an episode of ESPN's "Outside the Lines" and defended Reese, whose gestures were generating intense debates across the sport and beyond.

"I don't think Angel should be criticized at all," Clark said in April 2023. "No matter which way it goes, she should never be criticized for what she did. I'm just one that competes, and she competed.

"I think everybody knew there was going to be a little trash talk. It's not just me and Angel. I don't think she should be criticized, like I said. LSU deserves it. They played so well. Like I said, I'm a big fan of hers."

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Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese relationship

What seemed like a potential feud brewing between the two stars was shot down fairly quickly, as Reese and Clark both have been supportive of each other since. Reese even congratulated Clark for breaking the NCAA's all-time scoring record earlier this season, writing "keep breaking records (and) writing her-story."

At LSU's media day in October, Reese said her and Clark's relationship goes back to high school.

"Oh my gosh, I love Caitlin. We’ve been competing since we were in AAU," Reese said. "It was always fun, always competitive. One day, hopefully, we could even be teammates. She is a great player, shooter, person and teammate. I don’t care about anything that’s negative.

"When you know the person and what they’re genuine intentions are, being able to know that we did something big, that we grew women’s basketball. That’s all that matters."

Reese also told Women'sHealth on March 22 that her and Clark's relationship is not what everyone thinks.

"I love that we’re able to compete and still be cool after, regardless of the outside noise," Reese said."When we get between the lines and we're ready to compete, we just want to win. That's just the group of women — we always want to win, and we're strong and super powerful in everything that we do."

REQUIRED READING: Caitlin Clark on LSU-Iowa March Madness rematch: 'It's so good for women's basketball'

Clark offered similar praise to Reese and LSU after the Hawkeyes beat Colorado on Saturday to finalize the Elite Eight rematch:

Reese was asked about her trash-talk with Clark again on Sunday ahead of Iowa and LSU's Elite Eight matchup. Again, she reiterated that she has no ill will toward Clark, saying they "don't hate each other."

"I don't think people realize it's not personal," Reese told media. "Once we get out between those lines, if I see you walking down the street, it's like, 'Hey, girl, what's up? Let's hang out.' I think people just take it like we hate each other. Me and Caitlin Clark don't hate each other. I want everybody to understand that.

"It's just a super-competitive game. Once I get between those lines, there's no friends. I'm going to talk trash to you. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get in your head the whole entire game, but after the game, we can kick it. I don't think people really realize that."

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese, explained: Iowa, LSU stars to rematch in March Madness